New Zealand High Commission New Delhi, India

New High Commissioner to India announced

Graeme Morton

Diplomat Grahame Morton has been appointed as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to India.

He will be based in New Delhi and shall be cross-accredited to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. Currently the Director of North Asia Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Wellington, Mr Morton is responsible for managing New Zealand’s growing engagement with China, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia and Taiwan.

Mr Morton has had earlier professional stints in Beijing as the First Secretary (2004-07) and in Wellington as the officer in charge of New Zealand’s Antarctic Maritime policy (2002-04). He has also served in the Cook Islands where he was the Deputy High Commissioner (1999-2002). The High Commissioner-designate is a graduate of the Otago University. Mr Morton enjoys cricket, golf, cycling, and gardening and is an enthusiast of Asian and American history.

Announcing his selection on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said, “Two-way goods and services trade exceeds $1.5 billion and the government has high expectations for the development of India as a key economic and political partner for New Zealand.”

New Zealand and India have developed a close relationship in recent years. India is New Zealand’s largest source of skilled migrants and its second largest destination for international students. New Zealand, on the other hand, is an important market for Indian exports like pharmaceutical products and precious stones.